The legendary broadcaster joins Mic'd Up to discuss fellow Argentine Pochettino, fan diversity and the evolution American soccer
Andres Cantor was there on Nov. 19, 1989, the day that American soccer changed forever. Paul Caligiuri's Shot Heard Round the World hit the back of the net that night in Trinidad & Tobago, and Cantor was one of only a few reporters covering a game that nobody ever anticipated would ever be so impactful.
"We have made great strides," Cantor tells GOAL. "I remember we were only a handful of reporters in Trinidad in 1989 when Caligiuri scored the goal that secured passage to Italy. I think we were no more than, I would say, 10, and I was the only Spanish-speaking journalist, most likely, covering for a Hispanic outlet at the time."
In the 35 years since, Cantor hasn't just had a front-row seat to American soccer's biggest moments, he's witnessed nearly every bit of U.S. soccer history of this modern era. The Argentine-American announcer has covered legends while becoming a legend in his own right, with his famous goal call transcending the sport altogether.
For those who consume the game in Spanish, Cantor's voice has provided the soundtrack to their fandom. He's called World Cups and Olympic games. He's covered American soccer and beyond. His emotional reaction to his beloved Argentina's World Cup triumph in Qatar went viral as the world watched on as one of the game's most beloved figures was in tears for his home country's big moment.
Still, for all the growth in Argentina, it's the rise of American soccer that might just mean the most these days. He's been there from the beginning, and is now preparing for the return of the World Cup to American soil. And he is proud of the role he's played.
"I think we have grown, all of us that have helped in our capacity with the small things that we have done throughout the years to help grow the game," he says. "I think all of us have helped to grow the game. You wouldn't be talking to me if the game was not as popular as it is. GOAL USA wouldn't exist if that wasn't the case. All of us who worked on our side of whatever we do within soccer for so, so many years, are being rewarded, quote, unquote. It gives me a great deal of joy."
The legendary Telemundo commentator discusses the changes in the American game, and Mauricio Pochettino's role in that evolution, in the latest edition of Mic’d Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL US taps into the perspectives of broadcasters, analysts, and pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and beyond.
Getty ImagesON POCHETTINO'S HIRING
GOAL: Mauricio Pochettino is now in charge of the USMNT. As a fellow Argentine, what was your reaction when you heard the news?
CANTOR: Iwas born in Argentina, and I know Argentina football very well, so I was very happy when they announced him. But not because of the Argentina association, but because I really think he's a very good coach who has proven himself in the top class in Europe. I think that is the man that the U.S. needed to move forward as we look forward to 2026. It's not a passport question or happiness because of his association; it's just that I really respect Pochettino as a very good coach, and I think that U.S. Soccer found the right man.
AdvertisementGettyON WHAT POCHETTINO BRINGS
GOAL: You mention all of that experience at top levels, but Pochettino also brings a culture shift. What do you expect the culture to be like under him, and what will he have to adapt with the national team?
CANTOR: He's going to have to adjust to this new role as much as the players will in the sense that he is used to working every day on the on-field at the club level, and here he has to train a group of very talented players in and prepare for a match in about three days… For example, they all arrived in between Sunday and Monday. They train fully on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then they play in Kingston (last week against Jamaica). I think that that has to be very tough and something that he's not used to. So when I say that he has to get used to the fact that he has to relay his message tactically, personality-wise and everything, in about three days. So I think he's a very talented coach who will be able to do that, especially because he's got a great group of professional players.
GOAL: What will he bring mentality-wise? Are there any bits of Argentine culture that he can adapt to this USMNT?
CANTOR: He's going to bring his Argentinian mentality of soccer where winning is everything. He made a Champions League final with Tottenham. He won the league with PSG. He handled very heavy and very complex locker rooms with the names that he had to handle, the personalities, the egos, and he managed them very well, from all what I know! Of course, I wasn't inside, but the impression is that everyone liked him, so he's going to try to bring that into the American mentality, the American soccer player mentality.
We always have a fighting spirit with a great group of athletes, not only just soccer players, but I always said that the U.S. Soccer player is a great athlete on top of the soccer player. I think he's not going to have a tough time in that sense. Now, it's a question of him motivating them for the task at hand. My view is that he's going to need motivation, because you can say – unfortunately, but it's kind of fortunately – the U.S. doesn't have to play World Cup qualifying, so all they have other than the Nations League and Gold Cup are friendly games.
Obviously, it's in the head of each individual player. Even though you're representing your country and you're wearing the crest, I imagine that it is not the same to play a friendly on a Wednesday night against whoever than playing in the Champions League on a Wednesday night. I think he has to really, really focus on that aspect because he needs to get the best out of each player in each camp and every time they get together and play because that's the only chance he's gonna get to prepare the team.
Getty ImagesON COVERING THE USMNT IN SPANISH
GOAL: For your job, obviously Pochettino's arrival is a game-changer because, as someone who works for a Spanish-language company, the USMNT head coach now speaks your language. What changes now that he's here, and what challenges have you had in the past?
CANTOR: You're totally right. There has been no lack of Spanish-speaking players, and even though there were a few, we've never had, throughout the years, any issues in interviewing the English-speaking players. We can always pretty much do live translation, but obviously it's a welcome thing to have the coach of the U.S. national team speaking Spanish. It makes our lives a little bit more easy.
I got to interview Greg Berhalter. I've interviewed Bruce Arena. I've interviewed Jurgen Klinsmann and Bob Bradley, and it's not like 'Oh, they speak English so we can't get access to them.' The U.S. federation, in that sense, was always very friendly towards myself and the companies I worked for. We had no issue, but obviously, the fact that now we have, say Yunus Musah, who is a smart kid who happens to speak Spanish and even Italian. That's great, too!
GOAL: How is this team covered in other countries now? Have you noticed a difference in attention already?
CANTOR: Whenever there is a high-profile coach, he makes news all over the world. We wouldn't be talking about the Turkish league on a weekly basis, but [Jose] Mourinho is doing great PR for both the league and his team, so people are watching. People in the soccer media world tend to be interested in how those high-profile coaches do.
Pochettino was close – and I mean this is just what I've heard other people say – but he could have landed the Manchester United job. He could have landed any other high-profile club or national team job, and he happens to be the U.S. national team coach, so not only are they paying attention now in Argentina and the rest of the Americas, they're paying attention mostly in Europe, too.
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Getty Images SportON REACHING SPANISH-SPEAKING FANS
GOAL: Obviously, your job is to speak to Spanish-speaking fans, but that's one extremely large community who all view this sport, and life, differently. However, there is at least now some common ground in that everyone can tune in and hear the USMNT coach speaking Spanish. What does that mean to people?
CANTOR: Obviously, the Mexican dual-national that lives here is going to root for Mexico first. So is the Honduran, the Ecuadorian, the Argentine and whatever, but we have this other national team that we should all care about. The US Federation has their motto, which is One Nation, One Team. We all live here, and obviously we will have our allegiances. With my case, it's Argentina, but it's the U.S. national team.
To all Spanish-speaking dual-nationals or people that live here and follow U.S. Soccer and who speak Spanish, to have a Spanish-speaking coach that bridge hasn't really been crossed before, in a sense. Former national team coaches, perhaps they had that language barrier in trying to communicate things in the native language of a very large fanbase that speaks Spanish as their preferred language. It's great, and Mauricio can do that. Of course, he can address everyone in English as well, but this is a great plus to get people in the Hispanic communities to rally behind the USMNT.